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Heather's Forge #1
Christmas, a Cat and Cardiac Arrest
Escaping a failed relationship and following an accidental dream, Allie Garrett has moved to Heather’s Forge to take over her Great Aunt’s Inn following her untimely death, but everything isn’t all as it seems when Pixie, the Cat Allie inherited, begins to turn up clues that something else may be going on in Heather’s Forge.
After being closed for six months, The Barrell Inn has reopened, just in time for the Holidays and thanks to Allie Garrett. Met by both resistance and open arms from the locals, Allie attempts to fill the big shoes her Great Aunt left behind.
After being closed for six months, The Barrell Inn has reopened, just in time for the Holidays and thanks to Allie Garrett. Met by both resistance and open arms from the locals, Allie attempts to fill the big shoes her Great Aunt left behind.
169 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 17, 2017
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281 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
December 19, 2018
Green With Envy (previously published as Christmas, a Cat and a Cardiac Arrest) is the first novella in the Heather's Forge series and a new author for me to read.
The main character Allie sort of grated with me a bit as she was so aggressive and sure her way was the only way, but then if nearly everyone in the new town you've moved to treats you awfully, that's certain not to bring out your best side. The plot seems a little rushed in parts and at other times scenes end abruptly, especially where Allie and the delectable Levi are concerned.
A quick read of cozy fluffiness, I'm hoping to see some more character development in regards to Allie when I read the next book in the series.
The main character Allie sort of grated with me a bit as she was so aggressive and sure her way was the only way, but then if nearly everyone in the new town you've moved to treats you awfully, that's certain not to bring out your best side. The plot seems a little rushed in parts and at other times scenes end abruptly, especially where Allie and the delectable Levi are concerned.
A quick read of cozy fluffiness, I'm hoping to see some more character development in regards to Allie when I read the next book in the series.
January 4, 2018
Christmas, a Cat and Cardiac Arrest is the first book in the Heather's Forge Cozy Mystery series. Allie is not treated well when she takes over her late Aunt’s Inn.
It’s strange as the staff is not the only ones being rude to her. The town folk are just as bad.Pixie helps he investigate a murder and she also Levi are heating up.
The characters are great and hope to see more of Levi in the or the books in the series. It was also nice to see some of the people come around and start liking Allie.
I look forward to reading more of these books.
I voluntarily read a copy of this book.
It’s strange as the staff is not the only ones being rude to her. The town folk are just as bad.Pixie helps he investigate a murder and she also Levi are heating up.
The characters are great and hope to see more of Levi in the or the books in the series. It was also nice to see some of the people come around and start liking Allie.
I look forward to reading more of these books.
I voluntarily read a copy of this book.
December 31, 2017
I was given a copy of this to review.
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fun read. I was a little upset about how people were treating her at first. Luckily she met a new friend right away. It made things nicer. I really am hoping that her and Levi will have a relationship in the next book. They both are likable characters and deserve some happiness.
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fun read. I was a little upset about how people were treating her at first. Luckily she met a new friend right away. It made things nicer. I really am hoping that her and Levi will have a relationship in the next book. They both are likable characters and deserve some happiness.
March 26, 2018
Christmas, a Cat and Cardiac Arrest by N. L. Cameron is the first book in the Heather's Forge Cozy Mystery series. It is an easy read with quirky characters with nasty dispositions. Allie has moved from New York into the Barrell Inn after her Great Aunt’s death. No one seems to want her there and they aren’t shy about letting her know, even to the point of threats. This leads to questions about her aunt’s death. Who are the suspects? What will Allie discover as she investigates each of the employees at the inn. I enjoyed the story and Allie’s perseverance. 3.5 stars
March 30, 2019
It has it all
Really enjoyed this book. There was mystery, comedy, drama and a pinch of romance. The lead character comes into her own literally after her relocation to a sleepy little town.
Really enjoyed this book. There was mystery, comedy, drama and a pinch of romance. The lead character comes into her own literally after her relocation to a sleepy little town.
April 26, 2024
December
This story takes place in a mountain village. There is a lot of drama between the new inn owner and the townspeople, including the people she works with. The story has a bit of romance, but it stays secondary for most of the book. The focus of the story is whether or not the previous inn owner was murdered and if it was related to a greenhouse she owns.
This story takes place in a mountain village. There is a lot of drama between the new inn owner and the townspeople, including the people she works with. The story has a bit of romance, but it stays secondary for most of the book. The focus of the story is whether or not the previous inn owner was murdered and if it was related to a greenhouse she owns.
November 17, 2018
Enjoyable time passer
Cozy with some twists and a likable cast of characters. Readers must suspend some belief for this read. But it’s entertaining and isn’t a cliffhanger.
Cozy with some twists and a likable cast of characters. Readers must suspend some belief for this read. But it’s entertaining and isn’t a cliffhanger.
June 11, 2018
Fun Cozy Mystery
I bought this book under the title of Green With Envy: A Heather's Forge Mystery Book 1. It is listed here on GoodReads as Christmas,a cat and Cardiac Arrest (Heather's Forge #1). Either way, this is the first book in the Heather's Forge Mystery series. This book sets the groundwork for future books. The plot is fun with some great touches. There are out tunnels running under the inn and town and mountains and a cat who seems to know her way around them. The setting in a wonderful old inn in upstate New York at a beautiful lake in the mountains. I would love to inherit an old inn like that! The characters are quirky and fun. The story believable. This should be a good series! I bought this book and this is my honest review.
I bought this book under the title of Green With Envy: A Heather's Forge Mystery Book 1. It is listed here on GoodReads as Christmas,a cat and Cardiac Arrest (Heather's Forge #1). Either way, this is the first book in the Heather's Forge Mystery series. This book sets the groundwork for future books. The plot is fun with some great touches. There are out tunnels running under the inn and town and mountains and a cat who seems to know her way around them. The setting in a wonderful old inn in upstate New York at a beautiful lake in the mountains. I would love to inherit an old inn like that! The characters are quirky and fun. The story believable. This should be a good series! I bought this book and this is my honest review.
January 14, 2018
I was given this to ready by the author for a review. Bones of the story was good. Unfortunately the story dragged in some parts and Allie the main character couldn't seem to make up her mind who was the good guy and who was bad. She did't act like the owner of the Inn, when she would allow her imployees to tell her no. Half the time I felt like shaking her and telling her to get a back bone. With some work on the Allie this could be a good book.
February 13, 2018
A mystery with good bones but I didn't like the heroine, Allie. Allie was abrupt and aggressive and then confused about people's negative responses. Eventually, relationships improved but she seriously needed to apologize for her horrid behavior. I would have liked more story built around the basic clues and resolution. I would have like to see Allie grow from the unlikeable character into a better one and I would have liked to see the relationships grow instead of abruptly change.
January 10, 2018
Really not a good book. Not well written, trite and uninteresting. The forever present hunky guy even had a change of eye color later in the book. Sorry, I probably should have recognized it as a young adult book.
December 24, 2022
Christmas, a Cat, & Cardiac Arrest by NL Cameron is the first book in the author's "Heather's Forge" mystery series. The story is in first-person pov of the main character, Allie Garrett.
After walking in on her fiance and her BFF, Allie flees the city for the small town of Heather's Forge. Her great-aunt Beatrice has passed away unexpectedly, leaving her business, the Barrell Inn, to Allie. Instead of a refreshing new lease on life, Allie's arrival is met with suspicion and hostility from the locals. Her employees at the inn are the most hostile, making Allie's transition far more difficult than she anticipated. In the meantime, she discovers Beatrice's journals and learns that her aunt was growing increasingly paranoid in the last weeks of her life. It leads Allie to suspect her aunt was murdered. The incompetent sheriff and his bumbling deputy dismiss her concerns, leaving Allie no choice but to do some investigating of her own. Getting closer to the answers, however, also brings Allie closer to a killer.
I'll say it again, I'm getting tired of the "main character inherits a bookstore/antique shop/inn from an unknown-or-barely-known relative" trope. Have your mc sink his/her life savings into buying such a business, if you want to move him/her out of a rut and into a fresh start. Blah. I was taken aback by how utterly rude people were to Allie, especially her employees. My lord, if I walked into my new business and was met with that level of disrespect, the next words out of my mouth would be, "Get your shit and get out." Allie just meekly tolerated it. On top of that, the decisions she made in regards to her "sleuthing" were abysmally stupid. Frankly, she deserved to die at the end, as she was truly too dumb to live.
Reading this irked me, to be honest. I prefer my main characters to have more backbone and common sense. Two stars, and one is for the cat, Pixie, who had far more moxie and sense than Allie did.
After walking in on her fiance and her BFF, Allie flees the city for the small town of Heather's Forge. Her great-aunt Beatrice has passed away unexpectedly, leaving her business, the Barrell Inn, to Allie. Instead of a refreshing new lease on life, Allie's arrival is met with suspicion and hostility from the locals. Her employees at the inn are the most hostile, making Allie's transition far more difficult than she anticipated. In the meantime, she discovers Beatrice's journals and learns that her aunt was growing increasingly paranoid in the last weeks of her life. It leads Allie to suspect her aunt was murdered. The incompetent sheriff and his bumbling deputy dismiss her concerns, leaving Allie no choice but to do some investigating of her own. Getting closer to the answers, however, also brings Allie closer to a killer.
I'll say it again, I'm getting tired of the "main character inherits a bookstore/antique shop/inn from an unknown-or-barely-known relative" trope. Have your mc sink his/her life savings into buying such a business, if you want to move him/her out of a rut and into a fresh start. Blah. I was taken aback by how utterly rude people were to Allie, especially her employees. My lord, if I walked into my new business and was met with that level of disrespect, the next words out of my mouth would be, "Get your shit and get out." Allie just meekly tolerated it. On top of that, the decisions she made in regards to her "sleuthing" were abysmally stupid. Frankly, she deserved to die at the end, as she was truly too dumb to live.
Reading this irked me, to be honest. I prefer my main characters to have more backbone and common sense. Two stars, and one is for the cat, Pixie, who had far more moxie and sense than Allie did.
February 1, 2018
Here we have the story-type in which the heartsore heroine comes from the big city to build a life in a small town and finds it teeming with strange characters – rude, irrational, mysterious (oddly enough much the same thing happens when the hopeful heroine goes from her so-normal small town to the big city). You get that jumpy feeling because everyone is potentially dangerous; even the seemingly nice and helpful ones might have ulterior motives. The heroine-narrator has some big-city edges that need to be smoothed down but is generally likeable. I wondered how she went from apparently broke to putting on a lavish Christmas party for the whole town at her inherited country inn – but that mystery is never explained. The cat that comes with the inn – well, it's not a preternatural cat (I'm easy on this, but I know some people have strong views) but it does save the day, so it deserves its spot in the title. I found this an entertaining cozy mystery and would gladly read more in the series.
January 2, 2018
👍😱🎄Allie, can you solve the mystery behind the strange happenings at the Barrell Inn?
A cute, small-town murder mystery, I found this a quick and easy read with enough surprises to keep my interest peaked to the end. A bit of romance on the side, with plenty of odd characters in the town's population and the heroine's hotel staff and guests. Allie, the amateur detective heroine, seemed a bit clueless at times, but she also had a positive attitude, dedication to finding out what really happened to the aunt who bequeathed the Barrell Inn to her, and a true love of 🎄 holiday cheer! I wish the romance and the handyman's background had been developed a bit more, but a good read nevertheless.:-)
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
A cute, small-town murder mystery, I found this a quick and easy read with enough surprises to keep my interest peaked to the end. A bit of romance on the side, with plenty of odd characters in the town's population and the heroine's hotel staff and guests. Allie, the amateur detective heroine, seemed a bit clueless at times, but she also had a positive attitude, dedication to finding out what really happened to the aunt who bequeathed the Barrell Inn to her, and a true love of 🎄 holiday cheer! I wish the romance and the handyman's background had been developed a bit more, but a good read nevertheless.:-)
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
May 18, 2018
an original and interesting case
When Allie arrives in her new hometown (a SMALL town) she doesn’t exactly get a friendly welcome from the locals. Her great-aunt left her a beautiful inn in the mountains. But is there something suspicious about her death? Allie doesn’t receive much cooperation from her new employees, but it must be said that she doesn’t handle them with tact, at least not at first. She was really blunt at times. And she stayed just a bit one-dimensional. But it was a nice Christmas cozy. It may not have been the best cozy I’ve ever read, and the main character may not have been the most likeable, but it was an original and interesting case. With just a dash of fairy-tale in there.
When Allie arrives in her new hometown (a SMALL town) she doesn’t exactly get a friendly welcome from the locals. Her great-aunt left her a beautiful inn in the mountains. But is there something suspicious about her death? Allie doesn’t receive much cooperation from her new employees, but it must be said that she doesn’t handle them with tact, at least not at first. She was really blunt at times. And she stayed just a bit one-dimensional. But it was a nice Christmas cozy. It may not have been the best cozy I’ve ever read, and the main character may not have been the most likeable, but it was an original and interesting case. With just a dash of fairy-tale in there.
January 14, 2018
Well written mystery
Allie has inherited her grandmother's inn. She has grand dreams for it but first she's got to overcome the seeming hated shown towards her by everyone she meets. There's one person who is friendly and helpful , Eliza , and they forge a friendship . As a way to break the ice with the town people they plan a Christmas party and invite the entire town . At the same time , Allie is sure that Beatrice was murdered and is trying to solve that riddle . So many puzzles and no obvious clues . Will she find the answers before something happens to her? Read and find out .
Allie has inherited her grandmother's inn. She has grand dreams for it but first she's got to overcome the seeming hated shown towards her by everyone she meets. There's one person who is friendly and helpful , Eliza , and they forge a friendship . As a way to break the ice with the town people they plan a Christmas party and invite the entire town . At the same time , Allie is sure that Beatrice was murdered and is trying to solve that riddle . So many puzzles and no obvious clues . Will she find the answers before something happens to her? Read and find out .
January 28, 2018
A great read
This was the first time reading this author. I found her books on a Facebook ad.
Allie is coming back after receiving news that she inherited her aunt Beatrice's inn. Little does she know that Beatrice may have been murder. Everyone is on edge when Allie shows up. Hostile is more like it. But as new owner she has to find her place. The town is so closed off will they ever accept her? Well Allie throws a Christmas party for the townspeople to like her. Secretes are well hidden at the end and someone wants her gone. Time is running out. She needs to know what is going on and soon.
This was the first time reading this author. I found her books on a Facebook ad.
Allie is coming back after receiving news that she inherited her aunt Beatrice's inn. Little does she know that Beatrice may have been murder. Everyone is on edge when Allie shows up. Hostile is more like it. But as new owner she has to find her place. The town is so closed off will they ever accept her? Well Allie throws a Christmas party for the townspeople to like her. Secretes are well hidden at the end and someone wants her gone. Time is running out. She needs to know what is going on and soon.
September 4, 2018
Can a city girl takeover the inn she inherited, solve a mystery and find love all before Christmas?
Allie Garrett inherits the Barrell Inn from her great-aunt and when she arrives to start running it, she meets with unexpected and nasty behavior from her staff. Convinced that her aunt could not have died a natural death as she was a healthy woman despite her age, Allie wonders how to go about investigating things when she receives a threatening note the first night, a rattlesnake in her shower her second day and another note her third day! What is going on here? Will Allie figure out who killed her aunt and threatened her before she ends up dead? You must read the story!
Allie Garrett inherits the Barrell Inn from her great-aunt and when she arrives to start running it, she meets with unexpected and nasty behavior from her staff. Convinced that her aunt could not have died a natural death as she was a healthy woman despite her age, Allie wonders how to go about investigating things when she receives a threatening note the first night, a rattlesnake in her shower her second day and another note her third day! What is going on here? Will Allie figure out who killed her aunt and threatened her before she ends up dead? You must read the story!
December 29, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Allie inherits her great aunt inn after her untimely death/murder? She arrives to a very hostile town and staff and can't figure out why. There is a black cat but she really doesn't do much in this book. But the handyman is every woman's dream guy in both the inn and town. As the story unfold Allie is threatened and she finds that the Sheriff is of little help with her problems. So being the woman she is she decides to figure things out on her own which leads to a rather surprising ending. I thought is was a fun book and it kept me guessing and changing my answer until the end of the book.
December 28, 2017
This is a fun, easy read, where suspects abound.
Allie has a hostile reception when she arrives to take over her late Aunt's Inn....not only from the staff but also the town....what on earth is going on?
The plot is a good one but it could have been tighter, the characters are quirky, with good development, and the setting is delightful.....or is it?
The tension really mounts towards the end of the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book via Hidden Gems, and look forward to Book 2 in the series.
Allie has a hostile reception when she arrives to take over her late Aunt's Inn....not only from the staff but also the town....what on earth is going on?
The plot is a good one but it could have been tighter, the characters are quirky, with good development, and the setting is delightful.....or is it?
The tension really mounts towards the end of the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book via Hidden Gems, and look forward to Book 2 in the series.
January 3, 2018
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A fun and fast paced cozy mystery. With dynamic characters and many suspects readers are just as immersed as our protagonist. With hot guys, cute cats, and a mystery to be solved this is a great cozy mystery for lovers of the genre. My only criticism is the author used a few phrases multiple times and it was noticeable, a prime example is the protagonist reflecting more than once that these things only happen in books and TV.
A fun and fast paced cozy mystery. With dynamic characters and many suspects readers are just as immersed as our protagonist. With hot guys, cute cats, and a mystery to be solved this is a great cozy mystery for lovers of the genre. My only criticism is the author used a few phrases multiple times and it was noticeable, a prime example is the protagonist reflecting more than once that these things only happen in books and TV.
February 4, 2018
I enjoyed this cute little quick and fun reading cozy mystery by N L Cameron about the trials and tribulations of a woman attempting to start a new life as well as solve the mystery of her aunt's death. As the title says, a cat is involved in this Christmas themed story as well. I must say the author does like to give the reader a lot of red herring suspects to keep them guessing. I would also have to say this is a very successful crossover for Ms Cameron from her normal romance stories to mysteries. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
January 8, 2018
Christmas, a Cat, and a Cardiac Arrest
Allie Garrett inherits her aunt’s inn after her apparent death by heart attack. Allie is struck by how unfriendly most of the townspeople are and her employees are downright surly. When she starts getting notes on her bedside table warning her to go back to where she came from or she would be sorry, she began to think that her aunt’s death was not natural but murder instead.
This is the first in a series of cozy mysteries. I doubt that I will continue. The story seemed a little contrived and the characters not that well developed.
Allie Garrett inherits her aunt’s inn after her apparent death by heart attack. Allie is struck by how unfriendly most of the townspeople are and her employees are downright surly. When she starts getting notes on her bedside table warning her to go back to where she came from or she would be sorry, she began to think that her aunt’s death was not natural but murder instead.
This is the first in a series of cozy mysteries. I doubt that I will continue. The story seemed a little contrived and the characters not that well developed.
November 25, 2021
I did not get this book at Amazon. Nevertheless, it was a great read!
Alli's great aunt has bequeathed her inn, and everything else to Alli. But, why is EVERY ONE in town against her being there? She hasn't been town long enough to make that much of a negative impression! Then, in time, she meets the handyman, the only person who will talk to her civilly. Then she gets people to talk to her, but, no one seems to have had a good relationship with her aunt either! Not even the staff of the inn. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read clean cozies!
Alli's great aunt has bequeathed her inn, and everything else to Alli. But, why is EVERY ONE in town against her being there? She hasn't been town long enough to make that much of a negative impression! Then, in time, she meets the handyman, the only person who will talk to her civilly. Then she gets people to talk to her, but, no one seems to have had a good relationship with her aunt either! Not even the staff of the inn. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read clean cozies!
December 28, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It is a cute light read . It's a nice introductory book . Introduced to some interesting slighlty eccentric characters. There is a bit of a mystery and you glimpse a bit of a building of interaction between characters . Due to the title I expected more about the cat in the story , but perhaps that is to come later. It's the first in a series and look forward to reading the next.
December 29, 2017
Christmas, a Cat and Cardiac Arrest is the first book in the Heather's Forge Cozy Mystery series. This is a fun, easy read, and the tension builds as you near the end of the book. Allie moved to Heather’s Forge to take over her aunt's inn, and she gets some hostility from the locals. Doubts, suspicions and dangerous intentions are all around. Who is behind all of this? This was an interesting book, and I did enjoy it.
January 7, 2018
Allie's aunt Beatrice passed away and left her the Barrel Inn so she was determined to make a go of running the inn to take her mind off her relationship that had ended.
The employees of the inn were very rude towards her then she started fearing for her personal safety as someone was leaving threatening notes by her bed and rattlesnake which appeared in her shower, but who was doing this her and why and could someone have killed her aunt?
The employees of the inn were very rude towards her then she started fearing for her personal safety as someone was leaving threatening notes by her bed and rattlesnake which appeared in her shower, but who was doing this her and why and could someone have killed her aunt?
February 16, 2018
Christmas mystery of fear and fun
N.L.Cameron created a mystery of who done it and WHY! With the help of a diary, a cat, and unhappy people, the heroine inherits an inn and the mystery begins. There are mysterious information from her belated aunt, angry employees, incompetent police actions that need to be resolved. So Allie sets her sights to claim order in the town, the inn, and her life.
N.L.Cameron created a mystery of who done it and WHY! With the help of a diary, a cat, and unhappy people, the heroine inherits an inn and the mystery begins. There are mysterious information from her belated aunt, angry employees, incompetent police actions that need to be resolved. So Allie sets her sights to claim order in the town, the inn, and her life.
January 3, 2018
A Seasonable Story
I enjoyed the story of Allie who came to Heather's Forge to get her inheritance, The Barrell Inn. I liked the characters that she met there, especially the sexy Levi. She had a load of adventures and bumped into some nasty people, before solving a mystery or two.
I enjoyed the story of Allie who came to Heather's Forge to get her inheritance, The Barrell Inn. I liked the characters that she met there, especially the sexy Levi. She had a load of adventures and bumped into some nasty people, before solving a mystery or two.
January 21, 2018
Cute story. The characters in this story were definitely strange. They all seemed to hate Allie for inheriting her Aunt’s Inn. Sinister forces were at play and finally the villain was revealed, along with his motives. A good ending contained a little romance, a solved murder mystery and enough of the story unrevealed to be continued in the next book.
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